Antidiabetic Potentiality of the Aqueous-Methanolic Extract of Seed of Swietenia mahagoni (L.) Jacq. in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Male Albino Rat: A Correlative and Evidence-Based Approach with Antioxidative and Antihyperlipidemic Activities

Antidiabetic, antioxidative, and antihyperlipidemic activities of aqueous-methanolic (2 : 3) extract of Swietenia mahagoni (L.) Jacq. (family Meliaceae) seed studied in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Feeding with seed extract (25 mg 0.25 mL distilled water−1100 gm b.w.−1rat−1 day−1) for 21 days to diabetic rat lowered the blood glucose level as well as the glycogen level in liver. Moreover, activities of antioxidant enzymes like catalase, peroxidase, and levels of the products of free radicals like conjugated diene and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in liver, kidney, and skeletal muscles were corrected towards the control after this extract treatment in this model. Furthermore, the seed extract corrected the levels of serum urea, uric acid, creatinine, cholesterol, triglyceride, and lipoproteins towards the control level in this experimental diabetic model. The results indicated the potentiality of the extract of S. mahagoni seed for the correction of diabetes and its related complications like oxidative stress and hyperlipidemia. The extract may be a good candidate for developing a safety, tolerable, and promising neutraceutical treatment for the management of diabetes

ROLE OF NUTRACEUTICALS ON HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE PREVENTION: A REVIEW

Nutraceuticals have received considerable zest for their expected safety, potential nutritive and therapeutic effects. These were used as alternative to modern medicines that promote quality of health, increases nutritive value of the diet and prolongs life expectancy. Major constituents of the nutraceuticals are herbals, various nutrients and dietary supplements are involved in preventing different diseases and minimizing pathophysiology of the disease too. It also acts as immune boosting, natural antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, cardioprotective, organoprotective agent in addition with different health promoting effects. Ultimately, they ensure better quality of life and the purpose of this review is to provide summary of current scientific impression in this regard which might be helpful to formulate further innovative research plan in new domain on nutraceuticals. Keywords: Nutraceuticals; Disease prevention; Health promotion; Nutrients; Nutritio

Impact of ‘Child-to-Family’ Strategy for Health Awareness Improvement at Rural Sectors of Paschim Medinipur District, West Bengal

The present study was carried out to assess the impact of health awareness package through ‘Child-to-Family' strategy for empowerment of knowledge, change in the attitude and practice regarding communicable diseases and nutritional deficiency diseases among rural sectors of Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal from April 2009 to October 2009. School children of 523 from VII to IX standard and their family members (25%) were included in the study. Health awareness level was monitored by self-administered peer reviewed questionnaire method. The study showed that majority of the participants had poor knowledge regarding the concerned diseases at pre-awareness stage. But after imparting the awareness package, knowledge about the said diseases improved markedly in both children and their family members. Therefore, school children have the potential for transmitting their newly acquired knowledge to their family members. The present study enlighted that ‘Child-to-Family' Strategy is powerful tool for community health improvement at rural sectors

Effect of different solvent extracts of Benincasa hispida T. on experimental hypochlorhydria in rat

Hypochlorhydria is a common problem in any age of people like other gastric disorders. It has so many etiologies such as sympathetic dominance, antiseretory drug use, excess sugar and refined foods, etc. In the present study, our objective was to search out the effective solvent extract of fruit of Benincasa hispida T. for the management of hypochlorhydria in model male albino rats. Hypochlorhydria was induced in rat as per standard method by oral administration of ranitidine. Different solvent extracts (Hydro-methanol, ethyl acetate, and aqueous) of ripe fruit of B. hispida were prepared following the standard protocol. Various parameters in this concern like free acidity, total acidity, pH, pepsin concentration, chloride and vitamin C levels in gastric juice were measured by standard biochemical and titrimetric methods. It was found that pre-administration followed by co-administration of aqueous extract of B. hispida (ABH) resulted significant correction of ranitidine-induced hypochlorhydria in rat. This aqueous extract-treated group showed increased levels of vitamin C, pepsin, and chloride concentration in gastric juice as well as the antioxidant status significantly (P<0.05) in respect to other extract-treated groups. From the results, it can be concluded that the ABH has most effective anti-hypochlorhydric and antioxidative efficacy than other solvent extracts of said plant fruit

Antioxidant potential of hydro-methanolic extract of seed of Caesalpinia bonduc: An in vitro study

It is well known that the over production of reactive oxygen species is harmful for living organisms and it damages major cellular constituents such as DNA, protein, and lipid. At present, searching of new plant sources having free radical scavenging activity is an important field of research in phytomedicine as natural products are safe and relatively low cost. In this respect, attention has been focused to evaluate the antioxidant potential of hydro-methanolic extract of seed of Caesalpinia bonduc (Caesalpenacae) using different in vitro models. To evaluate the antioxidant activity, extract was examined on 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging effect, scavenging of hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical scavenging potential, and anti-lipid peroxidation activity by biochemical methods. Total phenol and flavonoids contents in the said extract were measured biochemically as per standard methods. Results were compared with butylated hydroxyl toluene and α-tocopherol. Results indicated that hydro-methanolic extract has strong scavenging activity on 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical with IC50 value 157.4 μg/ml, hydroxyl radical with IC50 value 61.9 μg/ml and hydrogen peroxide with IC50 value 64.32 μg/ml. Hydro-methanolic extract also showed notable inhibition in lipid peroxidation having IC50 value 58.87 μg/ml. Phytochemical study focused that the extract is rich in phenolic compounds (24.66 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dried extract) and flavonoids (136.65 mg quercetin equivalent/g dried extract). Findings of the experiment indicated that the hydro-methanolic extract of seed of Caesalpinia bonduc is a source of natural antioxidants